Railroad safety device



pl'ilr14, 1931. s DRUDl 1,800,783

RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Filed oct. al 1950 5 sheets-sheet 1 Attorney April 14, 1931- s. DRUDI 1,800,783

RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Filed OCL. 8, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Allorney April 14, 1931. s, DRUDl 1,800,783

RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Filed Oct. 8. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A tomcy April 14, 1,931. s. DRUDI 1,800,783

RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Filed Oct. 8, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor 5;'/1//0 pfui;

Bymaaih A Homey April 14, 1931. s. DRUDI RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE` Filed Oct. 8, 1950 5v Sheets-Sheet 5 O i 2v O W\ ,LM @qu o mvv o um E m om wm MMIII km l@ n. By Allorney liatentedk Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES SILVIO DRUIDI, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD SAFETY DEVICE Application led October 8, 1930. Serial No. 487,324.

n This invention relates to a railroad safety device and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an apparatus embodying a novel construction .and arrangement of parts through the medium of which the whistle on a locomotive which seems to be traveling over a track equipped with a portion of this invention will be automatically sounded for the purpose of warning the engineer or other operator of the locomotive that there is danger in the vicinity and to'bring the locomotive to a stop.

Another importantobject of the invention is to provide a railroad safety device embodying coacting means on the track and locomotives which are traveling over the track for sounding the whistle when a locomotive may be traveling in the wrong direction on the track for preventingv head-on collisions. l

Other objects ofthe invention are to provide a railroad safety device of the character set forth which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, efficient in operation and which may be manufactured and vinstalled at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention may become apparent from a study of t-he following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of the apparatus which is mounted on the locomotive.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatuswhich is mounted on the locomotive.

Figure 3 is a detail view in end elevation of the supporting frame which is mounted on the roof in the locomotive cab and showing the pivotally mounted, spring operated latch plate which retains the whistle operating lever in inoperative position. p

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view take'n substantially on the line 4 4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 11 looking in the direct-ion indicated by the arrows and showing a, portion of the mechanism which ,is mounted on the track between the rails.

Figure 6 is a detail view in end elevation of the whistle operating tripper unit which is mounted on the track. en

Figure 7 is a detail end elevation of the train actuated unit illustrated in Figure 5 whifh operates the unit illustrated in Figl ure Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of the tripper-unit which actuates the locomotive whistle.

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation of the train operated unit illustrated in Figures 5 and 7 looking at said unit from the opposite side from which Figure 5 is viewed.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the lower portion of the train carried apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 and showing the side thereof which is opposite the side shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Figure 11 is a View in top plan of the whistle actuating tripper unit and the unit which sets the whistle operating unit.

Figure 12 is a detail view in cross section taken substantially on the line 12--12 of Figure 11 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 13 is a detail view in horizontal section taken substantially on the line 13-13 85 of Figure l. y

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view showing the track apparatus in operative position.

Referring to the drawi s in detail and to Figures 1 to 4, thereof 1n particular, it will be seen that the reference numeral l designates generally a supporting frame or structure which is adapted to be mounted in vertical position transversely beneath the cab of a railroad locomotive at the rear end portion thereof, the supporting structure or frame being mounted in any sultable manner at the most convenient point on the locomotive cab. The supporting structure or frame l includes the vertical end bars 3 and 4 be- 00 tween which extend an upper pair of cross bars 5, a lower pair of cross bars 6 and an intermediate pair off cross bars 7. The barsof each of the pairs 5, 6 and .7 are secured in an lsuitablemanner, as by welding, to the vertical edges of the end bars 3 and 4 in a manner to dispose the bars of each of the pairs in spaced, parallel, opposed relation to each other. j y

A pair of horizontally disposed flat metallic plates of the configuration best illustrated in Fig. v13 of the drawings are disosed for sliding movement on the upper and oweredges of the pair of cross bars 6, said 15- plates being designated by the reference numeral 8 and being further provided with a connecting block 9 which is sligiably disposed between the cross bars 6. A substantially triangular striker plate 10 is rigidly fixed 'to 2o the lowermost plate 8 and depends therefrom. A pair'of fiat, horizontally disposed metallic plates 11 of a shape similar to the plates 8 are slidably engaged with theupper ,andlower .edges of the intermediate cross l 25 bars 7 'and are lconnected together by a' block 12 which is slidably disposed between the bars 7. A stem 13 extends through the plates ll'and the block 12 and has threaded on its upper end the lretaining nut 14. The stem 30 depends from the lowermost of the plates 11 and has its lower end lportion apeitured to slidably receive the big t lportion of an upstanding yoke 15 which isl rigidly mounted on the uppermost plate 8. A set screw 16 is 25 threadedjinto the lower end of the stem 13 forA frictional engagement with the yoke 15 for securing v'said yoke and the stem in adjusted position relative to each other. The stem 13 has its intermediate portion provided with transverse threaded passage for threadedly receiving the screw shaft 17 which is journaled in the end bars 3 and 4 of the-supporting'structureor frame 1. The screw shaft 17 projects beyond the end bar 3 and has fixed on said projecting end portion a beveled gear 18 which meshes with a beveled gear 19 fixed on the lower end portion 'of a vertical shaft 20 which is journaled inthe brackets 21 and 22 j which extend laterally from the end bar 3.

C? The vertical shaft is rotatable upwardly through the floor of the locomotive cab (not shown) and has fixed on its upper end the op.

erating wheel 23.

A pair of upstanding metallic straps `are secured to the innersides of the lower end portions of the vertical end bars 3 and 4 immediately above the cross bars 6, said straps being designated by the refereucenumeral 24 and having'rigidly connected to theirupper endportions the horizontally disposed right angularly extending arms 25 upon the free end portions of which are pivotally mounted the metallic plates 26. 'The plates 26 have their intermediate portions connected :,soaraa ing movement in a vertical plane. Spacved,

parallel rods 27 extend between the end, portions of the plates 26 and are rigidly secured to said plates. Struts 28 extend'between intermediate portions ofthe rods 27 for bracing said rods. A vertical finger 29 has its upper portion provided with spaced eyes through which the rods'27 pass in a manner to rigidly mount the finger 29 in position on said rods. An arm 30 extends upwardly from the rods 27'and has its upper end portion operatively connected with the lower end portion of a lever 3l through the medium of the link 32.

A supporting bracket 33 is mounted on one of the intermediate cross bars 7 and has its free en-d portion pivotally connected to an inter-v mediate portion of the lever 31 as indicated at 34 in Figure 2'of the drawings. A bracket 35 is mounted horizontally on one of the upper cross bars 5 above the bracket 33 and has journaled therein a pulley wheel '36.

A polygonal, metallic skeleton -frame 37 is provided with aperturedears 38 for-rigidly suspending said frame in vertical position from the robf of a locomotive cab and mounted for swinging movement on opposite sides of the frame 37 adjacent one end thereof is a pair of bars Y39 which have their free ends connected together by a weight 40. Swing` ing movement ofthe bars 39 in one direction islimited by the out-turned flanges 41 formed lintegrally on the flat metallic plates 42 which are secured by any suitable means such as screws 43 tothe frame 37. An'apertured metallic plate 44 is rigidly mounted on the end ofthe frame 37 which is remote from the plates 42. A rod 45 has one end pivotally connected, at 46, tointermediate portions o'f the bars 39V and the rod 45 projects slidably through the aperture in the plate 44 and has formed thereinadjacent its pivoted end a. notch for engagement with the wall of the aperture in the plate 44 for releasably re` taining the bars 39 in inoperative position and againstA swinging movement under the impulse ofa coil spring 47 which encircles the rod 45 and yieldingly urges the bars 39 in a vdirection away fromthe plate 44 and toward the flanges 41; As best seen in Figure 3, a lever 48 has one end pivotally connected to the frame 37 as at 49, said lever 48 being provided with a slot through which the rod 45 extends. l The free end portion of the lever 48' has mounted thereon an eye 50 to which one end of a flexible chain 51 is connected, said chain 51 being trained over the pulley. wheel 36 and having its other end connected to the upper end of the lever 31. The chain 51 is adapted to swing the lever 48 in onedirection in amanner to disengage the notch in the rod 45 from the wall of the aperture'in the plate 44 and permit the coil spring 47 to swing the bars 39 to the position illustrated in Figure2 of the drawings. A coil spring 52 has one end anchored to the frame 37 and its other end 13 48 for yieldingly urging the lever in a direction opposite to the direction in which said lever is moved by the chain 51. It may be Well to here state that the bars 39 are operatively connected by any suitable means such as chain or rope (not shown) to the locomotive whistle.- Coiled springs'53 are connectedto one end of each of the rods 27 for yieldingly retaining the frame carried whistle operating mechanism 'in inoperative position and for returning said lmechanismin operative position after the whistle has been sounded.

Pairs of slotted cross beams 54 and 55 `extend transversely between the railroad rails 56, said pairs 54 and 55 being disposed at longitudinally spaced points'with respect t0 each other on the rails. All of the beams 54 and 55 are identical'with each other in construction and a detailed description of one will, therefore, sufiice for all. Each of said beams comprises a longitudinally slotted body portion having its end portions secured to the lower side of each of the rails 56 by the U-bolts 57 having the rail flange engaging plates 58 secured thereon by the nuts 59. It is understood, of course, that the end portions of the beams through which the arms of the U-bolts 57 extend are unslotted andV Shanks 61 which depend from the lower side of the base plate 60 and extend through the slots in the beams 54. Nuts 62 are threadedl on the Shanks 61 for frictionally securing the base plate 60 in adjusted position on the beams' 54. Upstanding brackets 63 are mounted on the opposite side portions of the base 'plate 60 and pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the inner side of each of the brackets 63 and, at the upper end portion thereof is an arcuate plate 64. The arcuate plates 64 have extending therebetween the rods 65, 66, 67 and 68. Tubular metallic sleeves 69 and 7 0 are mounted on the rods 65 and 68, respectively, between the arcuate plates 64. A pair of upstanding lugs 70 are provided on the base plate 60 and to which one end of each of the springs 71 is connected, the oher ends ofthe springs 71 being connected to lntermedlate portions of the rods 66 and 67. One end portion of the base plate 60 is longitudinally slotted and mounted for rotation in said slot is a pulley wheel 72.. A bracket 73 depends from one end of the base plate 6() and has connected thereto a tubular exible cable housing 74. A flexible cable 7 5,. of suitable material passes through the conduit or housing 74 and is trained under the pulley wheel 72 and has one end secured to the rod 66 between the collars 76 which are fixed on'said rod 66.l

As many pairs of the beams 55 may be provided at longitudinally spaced points on the rails56 as may be desired and mounted between each pair of the beams 55 is what will be hereinafter referred to as a Whistle operating unit which is designated generally by the reference numeral 7 6. Only one of the units 76 is illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this application. Each of the units 76 comprises a. fiat, horizontally disposed base plate 77 which is mounted for lateral adjustment on the beams ,55 through the medium Lof the threaded Shanks 78 which are operable in the slots of the beams 55 in a manner similar to the shanks 61 which secure the base platel 60 to the beams 54. Upstanding brackets 79 are rigidly .mounted on the opposite longitudinal side edges of the base plate 77 and ypivotally mounted for swingingmovement in a vertical plane on the inner side of each of the brackets 79 and on the upper end portions of said brackets is ai'lat, metallic bar 80 having an integral leg 81 on one end portion thereof for engagement with the base plate 77 for limiting the swinging movement of the bar 80 in one direction and supporting the same in a horizontal plane when in inoperative position. The other end of each ofthe bars 80 is adapted for abutting engagement with the base plate 77 for limiting the swinging movement of said bars 80 in the other direction and vertically disposed when Iin operative position. The rods'82 and 83 extend between the bars 80 and a tubular metallic sleeve 84 is mounted on the rod 82 between the bars 80. The opposite end portions of the base plate 77are conduit 74 is connected. The flexible cable 75 is connected to an intermediate portion of the rod 83 of the unit 76. The cable 75 may be secured in any suitable manner to the rod 83 and the unit 76, and when more than one of the units 76 are used, the cable passes beneath the other of the rollers 85 and extends through the flexible conduits 88 to the next unit. The cable 75 is adapted to swing the bars 80 with 'the rods 82 and 83 from the position illustrated in full lines in Figure 8 of the drawings to the position illustrated in broken lines. A coil spring 89 has one end anchored to the base plate 77 and its other end connected to an intermediate portion of the rod 83 in a manner to yieldingly urge.

said rod to vertical orV operative position when the cable 75 is slackened. The coil spring 89 is enclosed in a'suitable telescopic 5 casing 90. Suitable supporting units 91 are interposed in the conduits 7 4 and 88 between the variousunits for eliminating slack from said conduits, The units 91 may comprise 'a housing to the opposite sides of which the conduits 74 and 88 .are attached in any suitable manner, the cable 75 extending slidably through said housings. The unit or units` 76 are disposed out of longitudinall alignment with the train actuated device which is operatively connected with said units 7 6. T e train actuating unit is designated generallyby the reference numeral 92.

In operation, the unit-92 is disposed in ,the position illustrated in Figure 5 'of the 2o drawings. Should a locomotive or train be' unintentionally vswitched on to the track equipped with this apparatus, and b e travel-l ing in the wrong direction over sai-d track,

the striker plate 10 engages with the rotary tubular sleeve 69 on the rod 65 and swings the arcuate plates 64 from the position illustratedin full lines in Figure 5 ofthe drawings to the position illustrated in broken lines in said Figure 9. As will be apparent,

this movement of the plates 64 will pa lout the medium o the link 32 and thek lever 31,`

through the medium chain 51, actuates the as -lever 48 against the tension ot ythe spring 52vina manner to disengage the rod 45 from the plate 44 and permit actuation ot the bars 39 by the coil spring 47. ln thisv manner the whistle of the locomotive is sounded E@ to'get od of the undesired track and when traveling in the other direction, the striker late 10 engages the rotary tubular sleevev 0 on the rod 68 between the arcuate plates 64 and returns said plates to their initial or inoperative position. In this manner the bars 80 of the Yunit 76 are'swung downward- 1y to their horizontal inoperative position by the cable 7 5 andl against the pull oit the spring 89. The apparatus is then ready for operation again. Itis understood, of course, that the bars 39 may be reset manually against the tension of the coil spring 47.

The track apparatus is preferably located to warn the engineer to bring the locomotive '-.tov a stop. The locomotive is then reversed.

. assures -wrong track. As the bars 80 of one of the units 76 move to operative position, the next units 7 6 are permitted to 'successively move to operative position by the cable 7 5. Should a locomotive be coming in the opposite direction on the track'before the locomotive which' is traveling in the wrong direction on the Vtrack has had an opportunity to get od of the track, the finger 29 of the last named locomotive will be actuated by the units 76 to sound the whistle on said last named locomotive to warn the engineer or operator to bring .the same to a stop. The last named locomotive will, of course, contact with the unit 76 which is remote from the unit 9 2 first. The striker plate 10 may be adjusted vlaterally' on thev supporting structure or frame 1 to engage with the unit 92 regardless of the position of said unit 92 on the beams 54 through the medi-um of the screw shaft 17, gears 18 and 19, the vertical rotary shaft 20and the hand wheel 23. Through this means the striker plate 10 may also be disposed in a position to avoid the unit 92 when, for any reason, it may be desired to render the apparatus inoperative.

It is believed that the many advantages of a railroad safety device constructed in accordance with this invention will bereadily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of constructionmay be had which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is 1. A railroad safety apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a supporting structure to be mounted on a railroad locomotive, a finger pivotally mounted on the supporting structure and depending therefrom., means operatively connecting the whistle of the locomotive to the finger forl actuation by said finger, a pair of spaced bars pivotally mounted for swinging movement 1n a vertical plane on the railroad track, a rod extending between the bars for swinging movement therewith into and out' of the path of the finger for engagement by said linger 1n amanner to actuate the same, a pair of plates pivotally mounted intermediate said ends for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the railroad track in space'd relation to the bars, rods extending between the end portions ofy the plates, and a striker plate mounted on the supporting structure and engagcable with the last named rod in a `manner to swing the plates in opposite directions, and a flexible cable operatively connocting the plates to the bars for actuating the said bars in a manner to dispose the first named rods in the path of the finger.

2. A railroad safety apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a supporting structure to be mounted on a railroad locomotive, a finger pivotally mounted on the supporting structure and depending therefrom, means operatively connecting the whistle of the locomotive to the finger for actuation by said finger, a pair of spaced bars pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the railroad track, a rod extending between the bars for swinging movement therewith into and out of the path of the finger for engagement by said finger in a manner to actuate the same, a pair of plates pivotally mounted intermediate said ends for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the railroad track in spaced relation to the bars, rods extending' between the end portions of the plates, and a striker plate mounted on the supporting structure and engageable with the last named rod in a manner to swing the plates in opposite directions, and a flexible cable operatively connecting the plates to the bars for actuating the said bars in a manner to dispose the first named rod in the path of the finger, and resilient means operatively connected to the bars for swinging said bars in the other direction.

3. A railroad safety apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, a supporting structure to be mounted on a railroad locomotive, a finger pivotally mounted on the supporting structure and depending therefrom, means operatively connecting the whistle of the locomotive to the finger for actuation by said finger, a pair of base plates mounted at longitudinally spaced points on the railroad track, upstanding brackets on each of the base plates, spaced, opposed bars mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the brackets of one of the base plates, a rod extending between the bars and rigidly secured thereto and adapted for swinging `movement therewith into and out of the path of the finger, said rod adapted to actuate said finger when engaged thereby, resilient means connected to the bars for swinging said bars to operative position, a pair of plates mounted for swinging movement on the brackets of the other base plates, a rod extending between the end portions of the last named plates, a striker plate mounted on the Supporting structure and engageable with the last named' rod for actuating the second named plates. and a cable operatively connecting the second named plates with the bars for swinging said bars and the first named rods to inoperative position out of the path of the finger.

4. A railroad safety apparatus of the class described comprising` in combination, a supporting structure to be mounted on a railroad locomotive, a finger pivotally mounted on the supporting structure, and depending therefrom, means operatively connecting the whistle of the locomotive to -the finger for actuation by said finger, a pair of base plates mounted at longitudinally spaced points on the railroad track, upstanding brackets on each of the base plates, spaced, opposed bars mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on the brackets of one of the base plates, a rod extending between the bars and rigidly secured thereto and adapted for swinging movement therewith into and out of the path of the finger, said rod adapted to actuate said finger when engaged thereby, resilient Ineans connected to the bars for swinging said bars to operative position, a pair of plates mounted for swinging movement on the brackets of the other base plates. a rod extending between the end portions of the last named plates, a striker plate mounted on the supporting structure and engageable with the last named rod for actuating the second named plates, and a cable operatively connecting the second named plates with the bars for swinging said bars and the first named rods to inoperative position out of the path of the finger, means for supporting the base plates for lateral adjustment between the rails of the railroad track, and means for mounting the pressure plates for lateral adjustment on the supporting structure.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SILVIO DRUDI. 

